Electric shock prod

Abstract

The shock prod comprises a circuit for producing high-voltage electrical pulses. The circuit is mounted in a housing and communicates electrically with two conductors integral with a prod extension. The prod extension extends from the housing in a fixed predetermined direction with respect to the housing. The extension is elongated in the fixed direction, terminates in a free end, and is generally flat with a high width-to-thickness ratio, having sufficiently high flexural rigidity and buckling resistance to avoid excessive deflection or deformation in use. With this novel configuration, the extension is constrained to bend in a preferred plane parallel to the thickness dimension. Loads applied in the other planes produce torsional deflection so as to allow bending in this preferred deflection plane. This wide, thin cross-section permits a wide electrode spacing simultaneously with a thin bending surface, resulting in the following: A minimum bending radius which greatly reduces instances of breakage; allows electrification and desired electrode spacing over any desired portion of the prod extension; eliminates need for separate electrode mounting hardware; remains operational even if the extension is snapped in two, when a sufficient electrode-conductor spacing geometry exists along the length of the prod extension.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An electric shock prod apparatus, comprising: circuit means for producng high-voltage electrical pulses;   a housing mounting said circuit means;   a prod extension attached to said housing and extending from said housing in a fixed, predetermined direction with respect to said housing, said extension comprising: a beam, said beam being elongated in said direction and terminating in a free end, said beam being flat with a large width-to-thickness ratio and being made from a stiff, non-pliable, material having high flexural strength and buckling resistance; and two eletrodes attached to said beam and spacedly supported thereby, said electrodes extending along said beam and being exposed at portions of said beam and being connected to said circuit means for transmitting said pulses to said exposed portions for delivering a shock to a subject contacted by said exposed portions.   
     
     
       2. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam has a flexural strength in the range of 10,000 psi to 60,000 psi. 
     
     
       3. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam has a flexural elastic modulus in the range of 250,000 psi to 5,000,000 psi. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam has a modulus of resilience of 100 psi to 300 psi. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam has a flexural rigidity of 400 lb-in 2  to 800 lb-in 2 . 
     
     
       6. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam has a minimum bending radius less than 12 inches. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing is a unitary construction containing a recessed portion forming a handle. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein portions of said electrodes are exposed at said free end and along opposite longitudinal edges of said beam. 
     
     
       9. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrodes are disposed in a zigzag pattern extending along said beam. 
     
     
       10. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein portions of said electrodes are exposed at said free end and along opposite longitudinal edges of said beam. 
     
     
       11. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a handle portion and a pair of extension mounting surfaces to which said extension is attached. 
     
     
       12. The apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said extension mounting surfaces are disposed forward and rearward of said handle portion such that said extension extends across said handle portion. 
     
     
       13. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said beam is unitary in construction. 
     
     
       14. The apparatus as set forth in claim 13, wherein said electrodes are flat conductors. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said extension is a laminated construction comprising a plurality of laminations. 
     
     
       16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said electrodes are sandwiched between two of said laminations. 
     
     
       17. The apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said electrodes are formed on opposite sides of said beam. 
     
     
       18. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes a power source having a battery, and a battery recharging circuit and a diode connected between said battery and said battery recharging circuit, said diode being oriented to prevent a short circuit in said battery charging circuit from affecting said battery. 
     
     
       19. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said circuit means includes a high-voltage generator, a power supply, and an on-off switch disposed between said power supply and said high-voltage generator, and a transient suppression network connected so as to protect said power supply and said switch. 
     
     
       20. The apparatus as set forth in claim 19 and further wherein said high-voltage generator includes a charging inductance and a peak limiter network across said charging inductance to limit no load voltage peaks to a safe level to avoid arcing, as well as excess voltage-level damage to generator components. 
     
     
       21. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrodes are attached to said beam in a neutral bending plane of said beam. 
     
     
       22. The apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein separate electrode projections are affixed to at least some of said portions.